Bull Nettle
(Cnidoscolus texanus)

A native perennial found growing in sandy soils in open woods, fields and disturbed areas throughout most of Texas. Blooms April to August. The genus Cnidoscolus consists of approximately 75 species, most native to tropical America. Another common name for bull nettle is Mala Mujer meaning “bad woman”.

Bull nettle grows to be about 80 cm tall and has a large deep branching root. The leaves are alternate with 3 to 5 lobes and each lobe is toothed similar to a maple leaf. Bull nettle produces showy white flowers that are very fragrant and compete with the finest perfumes, but be careful trying to smell these fragrant flowers. The entire plant is covered in glass-like hairs that when touched break off into the skin and act as hypodermic needles releasing a toxin that causes an intense burning sensation. The stinging hairs can penetrate even the heaviest clothing such as jeans. Depending on sensitivity of ones skin the affected area can remain red and swollen for a number of days after initial contact.

Ethobotany: Despite the noxious properties of bull nettle, a delightful food can be obtained from the plant (Tull 1999). Inside the seed capsule that bears a coat of armour more formidable
than steel waits a delicious nut. Is it worth it? I will let you try it and report back. Tull (1999) provides guidelines when harvesting these seeds to reduce the chances of being stung. First proper dress is a must, and should include long sleeves and long pants. Boots and thick gloves are a good idea, but not required. Gather capsules when they begin to turn brown, and pluck them off the plant with a pair of tongs, and drop them into a large paper bag. Place the paper bag in a dry spot, as the fruits ripen the capsule will explode, releasing the seeds. After all the capsules have ejected their fruits, winnow out the seeds and throw away the stinging capsules. A thin, smooth white to brownish shell covers the oblong seeds, and on one end of the shell is a cream-colored growth that is edible but difficult to bite into. It is recommended you crack the shell open to reveal the tasty morsel within. Eat the nuts raw, or chop them up for use in nut breads.

Wildlife Value: honeybees, beetles, butterflies, and other insects visit fragrant flowers. The seeds are an in-frequent food of songbirds.

American Beautyberry (Nov 20, 2004	Goldenrod (Nov 7, 2004)
Ragweed (Oct 17, 2004)	Cardinal Flower (October 9, 2004)
Little Blue Stem (Sept 5, 2004)	Snow-on-Prairie (August 15, 2004)
Annual Sunflower (August 8. 2004)	Rhus (July 11, 2004)
Passion Flower (July 18, 2004)	Gentian (July 4, 2004)
Beebalm (June 28, 2004)	Cone Flower (June 21, 2004)
Pale Cone Flower (June 13, 2004)	Butterfly Milkweed (June 6, 2004)